The source of the article is from the publication "Neighbours of Leaside & Bennington Heights" November 2017 Volume 2 Issue 11. The author is Todd Rietschin, Glendon Athletic Club.

As many of us know exercise, eating properly, good sleep habits and seeing your doctor regularly are some keys to healthy aging.

The hardest thing about exercise is doing it regularly. One of the reasons often given not to exercise is it isn't fun (think swimming laps, jogging around a track or on a treadmill.)

However, this is where pickleball comes in. Of all the many racquet sports many pickleball players who have played other sports claim it is the most fun.

Pickleball for sure has an odd name. The sport was originally seen as a way for young students to play a different sport in gym class — due to a variety of reasons (the huge number of aging "Boomers" among them) pickelball now is much more popular with seniors than school age students.

The size of the court (44 by 20 feet) is much smaller than a tennis court and this means it is easier to keep the ball in play. The fact that the ball stays in play longer by definition means that you will get a good bit of exercise. However, when two people play on each side (doubles), means that most points do not require too much movement — about two to four steps.

The smaller court also means less running and less wear and tear on our joints. For people who have joint problems, but still want a racquet sport to be active, then pickleball is a very good choice.

The final relatively unique feature of pickleball is that you do not have to be the world's most gifted athlete to play and enjoy it. Unlike tennis, for example, pickleball can be learned and played at a reasonable level quickly by almost anyone. You will see people of all ages and athletic ability out on the courts having fun playing.

Some of the attractions of pickleball, but not unique to it, are the social aspects. Playing with one opponent (singles) or two (doubles) allows you to interact with the opponent and teammate and enjoy the exercise that all are having.

Racquet sports such as pickleball boost the cardiovascular system which helps prevent many of the unwanted problems of older age. Pickleball gives you a good aerobic workout without as much stress and strain on joints and muscles, as mentioned above.

Who is playing this sport? You guessed it: the group that seems to have become regular players are baby boomers. The senior age group has been attracted to the sport because it is easy to play, very social and less stressful on muscles, tendons and joints. A very committed group are the former tennis players who for physical reasons can no longer play that game — but many non-racquet sport players have also joined the pickleballers. Try it you might like it!

For more info you can check out the provincial association at www.pickleballontario.org.